SRC AKS74U Gas blowback thoughts?

[Chock]

As it stands, I only had a brief look at the thing yesterday when it arrived, as I wanted to go out to see my girlfriend - after all, girls are (only just) more fun than guns - so will get a better look at the thing later tonight. But, I did put a few rounds through it and apart from being crap in the cold weather, as all GBBs are, it works okay.

 

Other things I noticed: It's not as heavy as I thought it might be (which is good, some airsoft weapons end up heavier than the real thing).

 

It was well packaged (apart from that bloody polystyrene, which meant I had to clean little polystyrene balls out of the internals), being in transit with the top receiver cover open and the return spring popped out so that the spring wasn't weakened by sitting under tension while it's in a warehouse (again good).

 

The mag is a bit awkward to load, with the included speed loader being about as cheap and nasty as speed loaders usually are, and with a rather clumsily fitted adapter precariously attached to it to facilitate filling the SRC mag (not good, but might be a case of getting used to it, may have to glue the adapter in place on the speed loader, as it isn't very securely attached).

 

Foregrip wood colour, density and finish is pretty good, a lot like a real one (i.e actually slightly cheap and nasty lol), so no need to re-stain it unless you wanted a particularly different appearance (good).

 

The folding stock is good and is very reminiscent of a real one - this is in comparison it to my (real) folding stock variant Chicom (type 56) AK that I have - it folds nicely and doesn't rattle about. Seems to be about the same gauge metal as a real one too (good).

 

Black finish is fairly basic (a lot like many real AKs) but it is paint and not blued metal. Nevertheless, the overall quality of the external parts is nice, including the side rail adapter, which is a bit blued, although TBH, side rails on shorty AKs are often pretty academic, since the CQB rear sight often fouls a lot or rail adapters. It will probably look better with a bit of wear and tear on the finish. (good).

 

Manual is not bad, with, loading instructions etc, plus an exploded diagram of the magazine internals and one of the GBB mechanism too, plus a spares list (but see above comments on potential spares availability issues), although as ever with airsoft weapons, I think the word 'manual' is stretching it a bit; 'pamphlet' is a bit more like it. Having said that, it is well printed and is in colour (good).

 

ROF is pretty slow, like the real thing, and accuracy seemed good straight out of the box. Although I'll be honest, my experience on firing real AKs with live ammunition is limited to having fired an old AK47 a few times and an AK74 once, and that AK74 which i fired wasn't the shortened version either, so I've never actually fired a real AKS-74U. Very little kick at all from the SRC when on either single or full auto, which is a bit like the real (full wooden stock) AK74 I fired, in that it had not a lot of recoil (unlike the AK47 which I had a go with, which nearly broke my frigging shoulder blade when on full auto lol). The action certainly clangs and rings like the real thing as it cycles, so I reckon it'll be important to lube the living crap out of the thing to minimise wear and tear, but then again, anyone who has ever handled a real AK will know that they fecking stink of Cosmoline and also clang and ring like crazy, so it's not like you don't have to do that on a real AK either (good).

[straffham]

UPS are still sitting on mine. Useless tw*ts

 

On a more positive note I've been in contact with Darren Chen at Star Rainbow (SRC) in Taiwan regarding spare parts, very keen and helpful guy, good news is spare parts ARE available (and listed as in stock)from their Taiwan distributor as per the following reply:

 

(QUOTE: Thanks for your email, I would like you to know that we have authorized partner here in Taiwan. Please take a look at the link down bottom. You could find the parts you need and If you have any question please contact the following email address. Again thanks for choosing SRC as your first option.

 

 

 

SR.SHOP email address : [email protected]

 

****** SR.SHOP website: http://www.srshop.com.tw/index.php ******

 

 

 

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SRC Airsoft TV

 

----------------------------------------------

 

STAR RAINBOW CO LTD

Room D2, No.36, Alley 82, Lane 422, Minzu Rd.,

Lujhou Dist., New Taipei City 247, Taiwan

Tel: 886-2-82853848

 

Fax:886-2-28484622

 

Skype: starrainbowdchen1

 

www.starrainbow.com.tw /QUOTE)

 

Parts seem pretty cheap too (no great surprise there), might buy a few as preventative medicine (when my gun actually turns up).

[Chock]

Love that 'thanks for choosing SRC as your first option'. Erm actually no, it was a cheap-ass Black Friday option lol.

 

With regard to UPS, I got lucky with that. Apparently the delivery van tipped up to number 85 on my road because it was delivering something there, then they saw they had something for number 80 (my house), but got no answer since I was out at work, so the delivery guy actually used his brain (unlike my fecking postman, who never bloody does so): 'screw it, we'll get the guy at 85 to take it and put a card through the door at 80 letting them know'. So when I got home from work yesterday, I just knocked on 85 and Bob's yer uncle, AK74 in my grubby paws.

[Ian_Gere]

Darren Chen? No way, man! The CS bloke they used to have was called "Mordred Chiang". Hope he hasn't fallen foul of any corporate Arthurs...

[straffham]

Finally picked mine up from UPS Depot 20 miles away, after them just leaving it collecting dust for 2 days there instead of putting it on my local delivery truck ffs. The excuse? They are too busy. HELLOOOOOOOO its xmas period, is that not expected and planned for then? Useless idiots.

Airsoft World are claiming my postage back from them and couldn't have more helpful in fairness, with phone numbers to phone UPS and actually speak to someone (which they offered to do as well).

As a final irony I emailed UPS CS lady at address she gave me to complain, it came back from UPS marked "undeliverable". . . . !

Anyway not oppened it up yet as I'm working but will do so tomorrow. Finally.

[Chock]

Cool. Glad it is sorted. Expecting the same sort of traumas with a package I've got coming from a Czech airsoft place this week, coincidentally with another AKS74u and some AK74 mags. Post always gets arsed up this time of year.

[straffham]

Cool. Glad it is sorted. Expecting the same sort of traumas with a package I've got coming from a Czech airsoft place this week, coincidentally with another AKS74u and some AK74 mags. Post always gets arsed up this time of year.

Cheers Chock, wasn't expecting such a big carton tbh (a G&G one which judging by its size held 2 or 3 M4's), its currently filling the back seats on my car. Only the gun, 2 extra mags and 2 cans of green gas in there but at least its not rattling lol.

 

which new 74 are you waiting for?

[Chock]

which new 74 are you waiting for?

 

Oh that's just a cheap springer AKS74U coming from Bohemia Airsoft in the Czech Republic (or as a 70's comedian would probably say: 'the Czech's in the Post'). It was literally about 23 quid, but since it is a Class D RIF as far as the UK's VCR Law is concerned (i.e. it is black with a wooden-coloured plastic grip, so Joe Blow might think it is a real firearm), I thought I'd add it to my order for a bunch of AK mags I was ordering from there anyway the other day, just as a test to see if RIFs come through from that site okay, since rifles and pistols are quite good value on there.

 

http://airsoftshop.cz/product_info.php/products_id/6968

 

However, there is also a bit more method to my madness. That AKS74U is the Unicorn Hobbies Corporation (UHC) one, which you might know is the cheapy 'dual powered' AK which many BB gun sites sell (actually triple powered if we're being technically accurate). Now, I already have one of those UHC ones that I got for the princely sum of 45 quid - which I've upgraded the internals on to make it 'skirmishable' - because I like the fact that lift up the upper receiver, pop six AA batteries in the thing and be good to go, which is handy if you decide to go skirmishing at the last minute and don't have your normal AEG batteries charged (it's the one in the pic above next to the SRC one). That and the fact that it also functions as a 'cock and fire' springer too. So it is my intention to do a similar upgrade on the one that's currently winging its way from the Czech Republic. That way I'll have a 'grab gun' for those last minute decisions to go skirmishing on Wednesday evenings which I sometimes make, and also have a back up 'grab gun' which won't need charging either.

 

As most people probably gathered from that AK12 thread, really, these things are as much about having a bit of fun tinkering with stuff and ending up with some nice wall hangers too, as much as they are about having something to go shooting with, because I've certainly got enough decent 'fancy guns' anyway not worry about whether such tinkering turns out okay. Although to be fair, the UHC one I have already souped up with better gears is not actually a bad CQB skirmish gun - does about 310 fps and is pretty accurate, certainly accurate enough for CQB ranges anyway - and it does look okay with the 'worn metal' paint job I've given it. Not bad looking for a 45 quid plastic gun with a few cheap tweaked parts:

 

[Chock]

Had a bit of time to take the SRC apart, because I wanted to make sure it was properly lubed up before firing it too much.

 

Spring guide and return spring are steel. Bolt Carrier and piston are alloy. Upper receiver plate is steel, lower receiver, fire selector, trigger and trigger guard are steel. Front/rear sight is steel, outer barrel and flash suppressor is alloy. Stock is pressed steel. Mag is alloy with some steel parts.

 

Some pics:

 

Piston and spring guide:

 

 

Top of bolt carrier:

 

 

Hop up:

 

 

Internal tube and rear of hop up:

 

 

Top of trigger mechanism:

 

[straffham]

Only had a short time to go over mine as yet. Just a few thoughts to add to Chock's assesment above ^ the working parts do seem fairly free of lubrication out of the box, yet everything moves freely and easily. I will also be going over mine with a little lube in the right places though to keep wear to a minimum.

 

It was nice to find so much steel present, though the hammer is alloy so potentially at risk of damage. When fired it hits a small raised cast dummy "firing pin" on the bolt which will probably wear fairly quickly, I'm going to experiment with fitting a small nitrile O ring around this cast pin to absorb some of the shock to the hammer and thus prolong its life (although a machinist friend is going to see if a steel hammer is economically feasible )

 

The original mag and the 2 spares I ordered all hold gas well with no leaks, though silent valves make judging filling tricky. On a quick test (indoors at around 20°) the gun initially functioned fine on 144a giving c.310 fps, though wouldn't empty a full mag before venting remaining gas. Abbey Brut Sniper was much better but giving around 360fps, emptying a full mag easily. Normal green gas should give around 350 fps, which I shall try along with propane over next couple of days. Shot grouping seems good at short range but not had a chance to see how the hop is at medium to long range yet.

 

After AEGs the nylon fibre pistol grip was something of a shock, it is so skinny that with my hands it felt like a toy after an AEG grip with a motor inside, but I assume its true to the real steel in that regard. Trigger pull is also very light and smooth which again surprised me.

 

Just need to add an AK sling now and wait for warmer weather!

[Chock]

After AEGs the nylon fibre pistol grip was something of a shock, it is so skinny that with my hands it felt like a toy after an AEG grip with a motor inside, but I assume its true to the real steel in that regard. Trigger pull is also very light and smooth which again surprised me.

 

Yup, that size is correct, I just compared it to the wooden grip on my genuine Type 56 and it is pretty much the same size as that.